A study of the regulation of synthesis of bacterial spores with emphasis on the assembly of the spore coat layers. Various conditional mutants have been isolated on the basis of lysozyme sensitivity of the spores. These mutants have morphological defects in coat structure and the biochemical basis for the lesions will be studied. Other conditional mutants altered in the intracellular protease activity found in sporulating cells will be sought. Since the functions of this activity have not been defined, no selective procedures will be employed except inability of spores to germinate at the non permissive temperature. A screening will also be done for a third class of mutants altered in the initial regulatory events of sporulation. An assumption for a role of glutamine and/or glutamine synthetase in these initial events has been made and mutants resistant to glutamine analogous will be selected. These will be screened for alterations in permeases, sporulation patterns and glutamine synthetase.